Martinsburg rated safe city

By LAUREN HOUGH / Journal Staff Writer

MARTINSBURG — A study of approximately 400 communities nationwide has placed Martinsburg and Hagerstown near the top of its list in terms of safety and security.

Farmers Insurance Group, which commissioned the study through data provider Sperling’s BestPlaces, lists the greater Martinsburg/Hagerstown area 14th on its third annual list of 20 secure mid-sized cities boasting between 150,000 and 500,000 residents.

In developing criteria for the rankings, data beneath average statistics was brought forward, explained Jerry Davies, director of media relations for Farmers Insurance Group.

First, crime statistics were addressed, along with data about how police and fire departments commonly handled incidents within their communities, through both resolving situations and keeping residents safe and secure, Davies said.

Also taken into account were each area’s risks of natural disasters, he added. While the Martinsburg/Hagerstown region may have experienced tornadoes in the past, it was the ways in which community leaders responded to such incidents that were taken into account for the study.

Other factors, such as the handling of extreme weather, namely how quickly and effectively roads are cleared in snow and ice storms, and methods about how environmental hazards are contained and dealt were also studied.

Since Sept. 11, every community in America has found individual ways to prepare for potential terrorism threats, Davies said.

“We look at how you are prepared for such emergencies, should they ever happen,” he said.

The number, security and steadiness of jobs in each region rounded out the list of workable criteria, Davies said.

While Hagerstown received mention in the 2005 list of Most Secure Places to Live, Martinsburg debuted in this year’s compilation, representing the Mountain State along with the Huntington/Ashland, Ky. region.

Many Americans use such studies to find their ideal place to live, said Davies, cited the example of friends who first researched the security, crime statistics and other data from several communities before moving to central Kansas for a new job.

“I think that’s the way people are today,” he said.

Berkeley County Sheriff Randy Smith cited a recent policy change mandating that all calls be handled in person as a contributing factor to increased police visibility in the community.

“We have more contact with the public,” he said. “We’re being seen on the roadway.”

Still, answering calls in person consumes more of the deputies’ time. Requests are prioritized by urgency, but still back up from time to time, he explained.

With local populations increasing at an extremely fast rate, Smith said having more officers in the community would make safety measures even greater.

“As the population grows, it brings in other elements of society that are involved in criminal activity,” he said. “We’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got. Evidently, we’re doing something right.”

Martinsburg Mayor George Karos said he agreed with the recently published study, and has personally found the region to be very secure for a number of years.

Grants and other sources of funding helped to staff and better equip the town’s police department — one of his first priorities after taking office as mayor.

The number of police officers patrolling the town, periodic sweeps of the community and neighborhood watch programs all helped to lower crime rates for Martinsburg, he said.

“We’re doing everything to keep up with the increase in population growth,” Karos said.

Continually updating emergency plans for the city has also improved disaster preparedness locally.

Davies congratulated the Martinsburg area on its positive ranking in the annual study.

“We’ll strive to be in the top 10 next time,” Karos said.